Originally conceived in 1970, the Model 1971 was Colt's attempt to keep their finger on the pulse of the American military. While Colt's own 1911/1911A1 family of handguns had been America's go-to pistol for over a half century by that point, two facts loomed large; first, the concept of the "wonder nine" pistol, which allowed for previously unprecedented combat handgun capacity and standardization on the 9x19 NATO cartridge, was gaining traction, and second, that Colt hadn't had a chance to score a big pistol contract since 1945, essentially being victims of the 1911A1's success as a durable machine. With these facts in mind, Colt set to work before any formal announcements were made, and the result was a notable departure from the 1911. In function, it is a double-stack, double-action semi-automatic constructed chiefly from stainless steel, with the slide guided by a full length set of external frame rails, the action internalized into a detachable "en-block" assembly, and the barrel linkage eliminated in favor of a solid guide and integral ramp. Basic takedown was also refined, using a lever held captive by the slide itself, and the pistol was conceived from the drawing board to be able to rapidly convert from 9mm NATO to 45 ACP as needed. In total, the upgrades integrated into the 1971 wouldn't look out of place on a 21st century defensive handgun. With a few refinements, the pistol was submitted to the USAF for trials as the Colt SSP (Stainless Steel Pistol); these trials would lead directly into the joint service XM9 and XM10 trials, which resulted in the selection of the Beretta as the new American sidearm. This would be the end for the 1971/SSP, as the design was not selected for commercial sale. A very promising design, the failure of the 1971/SSP to gain traction presents a great "what might have been" scenario; selection of the Beretta cemented it as one of the signature handguns of the 1980s and 1990s, and made it the "gun to beat" for American combat handguns for even longer. Equipped with a set of blade and square notch sights, this 1971 is unmarked aside from "X24711" roughly tooled into the right side of the frame; this rough marking style can be seen on page 250 of "U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1945-2012" by Meadows, which features pistol "X24712" from the author's own collection. Fitted to the frame are a pair of smooth black synthetic grips, which in another departure from the 1911 are screw-free, instead being retained by the mainspring housing; this feature would be eliminated from the SSPs submitted to the Air Force. The factory letter lists it as an SSP experimental prototype and notes it is a "pre-government test example of the 'SSP'" and was kept in the Engineering Vault. Includes a Colt XM9 manual.

Very fine, showing mild wear and handling marks commensurate with use as a developmental prototype. Light scratches are present overall, along with rubbing from the controls and a few light dings. The grips are in similar condition. For unknown reasons, the trigger/linkage assembly does not consistently engage the hammer for double-action fire when held in a conventional fashion. The malfunction does not occur when the pistol is held sideways, inverted, or aimed up or down, single-action fire is not impeded at any tested angle, and the action is otherwise mechanically excellent. Magazine absent. A very rare Colt developmental handgun, which is very difficult to find in any condition.